Trevor Coopersmith Blog #4 extra credit question 1

In David Mamet's Oleanna, both Carol and John represent real life American struggles and ordeals. Carol takes the side of a feminist woman who resents the average white male and his ideas. In the beginning of Oleanna, Carol is portrayed as innocent and craving knowledge. "I'm trying to understand it." "I can't, I don't understand. I don't know what it means." Carol is representing the female working class. She works very hard to achieve her goals, but feels denied and shot down. Carol begins to ask John multiple questions and visits him often to acquire knowledge. John is the white male who is purchasing a new house and uses a wide range of vocabulary, which intimidates Carol. John goes on rants as how he is imperfect, flawed, and was told that he was incompetent as a child. John does this in an attempt to relate to Carol. This correlates to the way that men often attempt to relate to women in the workplace. Men of higher authority tend to comfort women and make them feel safer. Carol is in need of assistance and she turns to John to help, providing John with overall power over Carol. This hierarchy soon shifts dramatically when Carol acclaims that she was raped by John. "Can somebody help me please!" Carol is asking other people for assistance other than John. Soon Carol returns and John realizes that by him grabbing Carol and preventing her from running away, he is being charged with rape. Carol is in complete control over John and writes a list of demands used to bribe John. Carol begins reading the demands and educates John. "You yapping fool!" "You have been wrong." Carol schooling John on common sense and sexual harassment issues in the workplace. John's mistake cost him his job.

 "an unsubstantiated charge could ruin the career and life of an absolutely innocent individual." - J.K. Curry. John is left without his new house, his job, and his reputation. The loss of John's prized possessions are due to Carol's preposterous allegations. This represents real American sexual harassment lawsuits in the workplace. Many men often lose their job due to certain phrases or actions mistakenly done. These charges can be dramatically exaggerated and even very far from the truth. David Mamet's worldview based on Oleanna is that many men are often shot down from well earned power due to false claims and charges. John is a perfect example of a life torn apart due to relatively harmless actions towards a woman.